Album: Lullabies To Paralyze (2005)

Charted: 18 88

License This Song 

• Hey, sister, why you all alone?
  I'm standing out your window
  Hey, little sister, can I come inside, dear?
  I want to show you all my love
  I want to be the only one
  I know you like nobody ever, baby
  
  Little sister, can't you find another way?
  No more living life behind the shadow
  Little sister, can't you find another way?
  No more living life behind the shadow
  
  You whisper secrets in my ear
  Slowly dancing cheek to cheek
  Such a sweet thing when you open up, baby
  They say I'll only do you wrong
  We come together 'cause I understand
  Just who you really are, yeah, baby
  
  Little sister, can't you find another way?
  No more living life behind the shadow
  Little sister, can't you find another way?
  No more living life behind the shadow
  
  Now shake it up Writer/s: Joey Castillo, Joshua Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen
  Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

• My Brother That Raped Me from WaHe dedicated this song to me years after he raped me so the concept of the song can be viewed differently by the person.
• Jewels from NycI really did not interpret as an actual little sister, i thought of the singer as a person viewing a family from an outside perspective where the younger sister is selling herself and living in a shadow of others. I didnt it was incestual at all and was just calling her a little sister because she is the younger sister of her family?
• Doom Slayer from Kadignr Sacrum, HllThis song is about a man who falls in love with a prostitute who could never seem to make it in life unlike her older sister who found a way to make money without selling her body. The lyrics are the man's plead for the woman to quit being a prostitute and find a better life for herself. I see people saying "I prefer incest over arrogance" and it goes without saying that the only ones who say that are the incestual abusers.
• Sister Ashley.... from San DiegoNo way have I ever detected any incest in this song. And I happen to be the survivor, not victim, of sexual incest growing up, so it's strange I never picked up on that vibe. I also have many brothers, blood and friend alike. I have brothers in christ, never mind the ethnicity or the age. If I share an interest within any type of concept whether its an outright gang (where they actually call their members brothers and sisters and I'm not talking about street gangs, btw, just more like bands of friends, I guess...but who knows maybe they too call each other bros and sisters-? i've never been in a gang so I dunno...), a religious group, a secret society, or even a fraternity type gig with an affiliated Sister House organization ALSO use those terms. I mean even if I was a friggin' vampire, a fellow female vampire would be referred to as a sister, meaning we share roles in the same "family" not necessarily a blood born one but members of ANY kind of group that share the same beliefs. In that sense, if someone has been in the family (or group) longer they would be an "older" brother. So say one is in a witch craft coven, even (for the sake of being facetious...)and a new convert comes into that family, the males would refer to the new female, not as spiritually along, as a "little sister" even if she was physically older. And if I take that route, since he knows her better than anyone else, maybe he knows it isn't her nature to roll in the shadows like that. I'm assuming (although there is zero evidence for it) that hes referring to prostitution or dancing (stripping) or - just doing anything "in the shadows" (possibly the practice of the occult) because he thinks it's not necessarily "her" nature and he'd rather see her in the light where he knows she belongs. Almost as if shes posted in the shadows but he knows it's just an act, maybe something she felt forced to become or do or out of low self esteem, just accepted the 'shadows' denying her true nature because she has poor self image or something and he IS of the shadows or occult. Since shes opened up and shared her true self to him its obvious shes fronting "something", whatever it may be to the rest of the world. He wants to be with her but he knows, maybe out of love or out of respect, that they couldn't roll together. He wants her out of the shadows where he operates, he wants her to have the courage to step out and join the light where he knows she belongs but out of whatever fear she stays put. I got the impression that he loves her enough to see that and NOT take advantage of it, not the other way around. She must be new to the shadows, thus the term "little" sister but maybe it's really an age thing, maybe shes physically younger and that's where the sweet moniker came from. Either way its beautiful, I thought. Nothing sinister at all.
• Juno from Los Angeles, Cawtf how is incest better than arrogance? Vomiting aside... It always sounded to me like a song about prostitution and the male figure is someone who engages in that world but also wants to "save her". Based on the tone of the song, these efforts are "futile". There is definitely some sexual activity implied "come together" because "I understand you" etc. It's musically a great song, people interpreting the "sister" as a literal sister is what makes me not want it in my itunes.
• Nick from Gold Coast, Australiai always thought it was about the songs protagonists sister being lured into a lured world like being a stripper or a pornstar, hence the lyrics little sister, cant you find another way
• Paris from Phoenix, Azlol right on
• Kat from Chicago, IlAha, I always thought this song sounded incestuous. Though I think I'd take incestuous over the arrogant and shallow Elvis Presley version. (;

More Songfacts:

AfricaToto

A key line in "Africa" is "I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become," which is about drifting away from what you really want in life. Toto keyboard player David Paich, who wrote the song, felt his work was consuming him.

Return To SenderElvis Presley

When the Elvis stamps came out in 1993, lots of folks used them to mail letters with bad addresses so they would be Returned To Sender.

Whip ItDevo

Devo got the idea for their "Whip It" video from an article about a guy who owned a dude ranch and charged people to watch him remove his wife's clothes with a bullwhip.

Paul RevereBeastie Boys

In Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere," the title refers to the name of a horse. They took it from a song in the musical Guys And Dolls where a character sings, "I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere."

Rebel YellBilly Idol

Billy Idol got the title for "Rebel Yell" from a brand of whiskey he saw members of The Rolling Stones drinking.

Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit Of)Lou Bega

The party tune "Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit Of)" was the theme song for the 2000 Democratic Convention (the party of Bill Clinton), until someone noticed the line, "A little bit of Monica in my life."

Editor's Picks

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.